Improvement in track-lifters



G. W. HUNTER.

Track-Lifter.

Patented Sept. 28, |875.

lll.

IN VENTOR Itter-nay WHW..

UNITED STATES lPATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. HUNTER, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OE ONE-HALEIIIS RIGHT TO WILLIAM E. STONE, OE SAME PLAGE.

- IMPROVEMENT IN TRACK-LIFTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 168,255, datedSeptember 28,1875; application filed September 13, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE W. HUNTER, ofthe city of Philadelphia, Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLifting-Jacks, particularly adapted to the liftin g of railroad-tracks;and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which the ligure is a section, showing all of the parts, and theirrelative position as attached to and used in raising the tracks of arailroad. v

Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawing.

The object of my invention is to provide a jack suitable for lifting thetracks of railroads, in such a manner that there shall be no tendencyWhatever to a lateral displacement of the same in the act of elevatingsuch track-that is to say, it is desired to elevate the track one sideat a tn1e,'and drop it into exactly the same vertical plane from whichit was taken; and to this end my invention consists in a pedestal havingan arm extending in length about the Width of the track, adapted to andprovided with means for connection with one rail of the track, the footbeing placed near the other,'the front face of the support being curved,the curve being in the arc of a circle Whose radius is the length ofthe,arm, or

about the Width of the track; secondly, in the combination, with suchpedestal, ofa movable hook, adapted to take under the T of the rail,

moving in grooves in the pedestah'in the arc of a circle correspondingwith the face of the base or pedestal; also, in the combination, withsuch movable hook, of an adjustable clamp or holder, as hereinafter moreparticularly described.

In the drawing, A represents the pedestal; B,'the upright, and C Vanextension-arm connected therewith. d is ahook attached to the arm C, andadapted to grasp the top of a rail.

This hook operates to steady or hold the arm in a proper position, andgages the position of the .pedestalwith reference to the opposite rail,thus not only facilitating the adjustment 0f the jack to its work, butholding it steady,

and cbviating any tendency Whatever to a displacement of the rails withrelation to each other.

It is obvious that a hook may be arranged yto project beneath the insideT of the rail, and thereby some of these results be attained; but

the way illustrated is the preferred means y of connection.

The front face of the upright B is made on a curve, of which the arm Cis the radius. This upright B is provided with grooves or ways, orltheir equivalent, in or on which a movable plate or rack-bar, providedwith a hook, c, Works. This rack-bar is operated through the medium of asuitable lever, E, and pawl e, the same being held in its raisedposition by any suitable stop or pawl, as shown at f. y The pivot of thepawl f projects through the side ofthe upright B, and is provided with asuitable knob or crank, so as to be turned ont of contact with the rackin order to let it drop or let it down, as may be desired.v

It is obvious, however, that any other suitable or wellknown means maybe adopted for' operating the pawl with its hook.

F represents a T-lever, pivoted, as shown, to the rack D, and to whichis pivoted a strut,

h, which, upon the attachment of the hook c.

to the rail, servesl to force the extremity oi' said T-lever intoclamping contact with the outside of the rail, thus securing the same ina manner to obviate any twist or undue strain, except that due to anupward movement.

It is obvious that this lever F may be provided with a hook to grasp theoutside ofthe 'I'1 of the rail, if in practice it lis found desirab e.

By this construction and combination of parts the track of a railroadmay be raised and lowered without any tendency Whatever to a lateraldisplacement ofthe track, or either rail thereof-a difculty hithertoexperienced in the use of elevating-machines for this pur'- pose.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a liftingejack, a standard whose front face is made on the arc ofa circle, having con1- bined therewith a hook adapted to move in thecurve of such are, substantially as described.

2. In a lifting-jack. the combination of an upright, an extendinglateral arm, and a. hook or means of connection with the rail farthestfrom the pedestal, substantially as described.

3. In a lifting-jack, .the combination, with the movable hook orelevating device, of an adjustable clamp or stay, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

4. In a lifting-jack, a clamp or stay consist ing of the combination ofthe lever F and movable strut h, substantially as shown. y

GEO. W. HUNTER. Witnesses:

JAS. K. HUNTER, THEODORE L. CHASE.

